laparoscopy - who should I go to?

Hi all,

I'm 31 years old & about 7 moths ago I been diagnosed with a cyst on my left ovary & also with suspected endometriosis.

I'm booked for a laparoscopy and I wanted to ask whether any one had Dr Hale as her surgeon?

I know that Dr Hale has good reputation with IVF, but I wanted to know whether he is also a good surgeon?

Also, who else is consider to be good in Melbourne for that king of procedures (when endo needs to be removed)? (someone that I will not need to wait months for an appointment?!)

I don't have a private health insurance, but I decided to go through the private system because the waiting period in the public system is too long (already waited 7 months). My understanding is that a laparoscopy through the private system can cost anything between $3,000 & 4,000. Is that right?

I'm new to this forum, so any information about this will be appreciated.

ssn

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Hi all,

I'm 31 years old & about 7 moths ago I been diagnosed with a cyst on my left ovary & also with suspected endometriosis.

I'm booked for a laparoscopy and I wanted to ask whether any one had Dr Hale as her surgeon?

I know that Dr Hale has good reputation with IVF, but I wanted to know whether he is also a good surgeon?

Also, who else is consider to be good in Melbourne for that king of procedures (when endo needs to be removed)? (someone that I will not need to wait months for an appointment?!)

I don't have a private health insurance, but I decided to go through the private system because the waiting period in the public system is too long (already waited 7 months). My understanding is that a laparoscopy through the private system can cost anything between $3,000 & 4,000. Is that right?

I'm new to this forum, so any information about this will be appreciated.

ssn

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HI SSN - I had my lap 2 weeks ago - my gyno is a obgyn - who also specialises in endo surgery,e tc. He was very good, but i am in Qld so that is no help to you. Many gynos do extra study to specialise in the surgery part these days due to the demand. Hopefully someone else has used this doctor and will be able to help you. Otherwise have you tried doing any googling? You might find something about this doctor - also he might be willing to provide names of patients who have agreed to recomend him - worth a try asking his reception staff.
Have you been to see him - does he make you feel comfortable, was he willing to answer all your questions, did he tell you to ring at anytime with concerns, queries? Most ogbyns are busy - but a good one will still make you feel important and unrushed during your appointment.

I too paid to go private - this is what mine cost:
Hospital (day surgery) $1010 - ended up staying over night so was an extra $297.
Doctors fees - paid for minor surgery prior to op total price for my out of pocket (after medicare rebate) was just over $550. Ended up having major op so paid 2nd quoted amount so an additional $480. Doctor actually told me it should have been higher price again cause was even more serious than quoted for but they honor their quotes - they charge the higher medicare amount to make back a bit of their loss.
Anaethetist: Total bill just over $1000 - but anaeth docs usually give a discount, mine was $180, after medicare rebate bill was just over $500.
Assisting surgeon: still waiting on this bill as he went on holidays the following Saturday!
Pathology report: Unexpected bill of $237 - out of pocket $120.

My bills total will be around $3500-4000.


Was it worth it? YES! Public system has a waiting list of well over 12mths in my area. Also worth noting, you will get 20% of costs of $1500 back as a tax offset - not much but atleast something!

PS If you have any questions about the actual op and what to expect, just ask!

i live in melbourne and work (as a nurse) in the public system and i have had 2 laproscopes.
A) i would only do it publically
b) depending on who you go with surgeon wise sometimes you get to only wait oh 3 wks in public
c) you wont be out of pocket at all
d) get so much better care post procedure & if you do get sick and need to stay in it wont cost a thing.
e)Dr Lutjen (gynae & obs) works privately and public at Sandringham Hospital

Please re think going private as you dont need to really if you are in that much pain the surgeon should up you on the waiting list....

Thank you both so much for your responses.

How should I prepare for this operation? Do I need to do anything prior or after?

As far as going through the public system, how can ensure that I will get an experienced surgeon hands on (rather than a Dr out of medical school)? I understand there is an experienced surgeon present, directing trainees. What do you think?

My public experiences are not that great - last op I had I was sooo violently ill for hours afterwards - felt like I was a bother to the nursing staff (the reactions they were giving me) and really think I should've stayed overnight, but they sent me home -still nauseated at 7pm. I vomited in the car on the hour trip home. My private experience was much different, caring staff, no pressure to get out.

Not all hospitals would be like this though. I'd like to know where you get 3 week treatment in the pubic system though! I was on a waiting list just to see a specialist, even though I'd been referred by my specialist, you still have to see theirs first. This was over 3 months to get an appointment date, then you go on the surgery waiting list - time determined on how serious the specialist deems your condition. This will vary depending on the person - endometriosis can still be undervalued as a serious illness by some and not all specialists will be keen to take a surgery root but want to do other things first (which often don't help).

Re what to expect - to prepare, depending on your living situation - you may want to freeze some meals for when you come home - everyone is different and will feel differently after their op. Personally I felt much better than I have read others have. I was sore in the muscles of the op - so the 4 holes mainly for 3 days afterwards, difficulty standing up and a sore back from compensating. I didn't find I had much of an appetite for a few days - so tea and toast and scrambled eggs was enough to satisfy me for the first few days. You might also have pain from the gas they use to blow your tummy up trying to escape, mine was in the shoulders and under the ribs. Hot/cold packs help. I only took panadol post op for 2 days and was fine afterwards.
If they do a D&C you will bleed for 5-10 days after op as well, but only light, nothing like a period (though you might be different).
Prior to the op you will probably have to do a bowel prep, to clean you out so they can see in there better - this is yucky!

On other thing to consider when going public, are the operations performed in the same way - ie if endo is removed, will it be diathermied or lasered or will it be cut? The recovery and pain will differ with the type of method.
I am not sure whether you will guarantee your doctor in the public system, sometimes you will - some specialists do work through the public system as well as privately.

Thank you so much ausgirl. Extremely helpful! :)
How many nights did you stay in hospital? Do you feel better now? do you have any symptoms now after the operation?

I have had 3 laps in the past four years. First one they found active endo, 2nd was just adhesions and the last one I had last November it was on both ovaries and they also suspect adenomyosis which is in the lining of the uterus.
I'm now 28 wks pregnant with my 2nd baby. Charlotte is now 3 yrs old and conceived her straight after my 1st lap. We didn't have probs before then conceiving, I was in pain more than anything, but getting pregnant so soon after surgery was great! This pregnancy happened fairly soon afterwards too! I was determined not to have another period as the ovulation & periods were so painful.
I went to Dennis Price for my 1st two laps and he is my OB. He has rooms in Malvern & Clayton. The last one I was at my wits end with the pain and emotional craziness and asked my GP for a referral for someone who sees Endo all the time. She referred me to Jim Tsaltas, he has rooms at Freemasons and across the road from Waverley Private.
Unlike you, I have private health and wouldn't have it any other way. I did find a difference in fees though between my two Dr's. I was more out of pocket with Jim, but reached my Medicare Safety net so got more back! I think I only had to pay my excess for Dennis and that was it.
Each surgery I've been to a different hospital. Each were good in their own ways. I wasn't so impressed with Waverley Private though. The maternity ward (as a visitor) is much nicer than the ward I was on!
I'm sorry I can't shed light on the public side of things, but in terms of prep before the surgery it helps to read up on what endo is and ask as many questions of your Dr as you can even if you think they sound silly.
I didn't have to do bowel prep for my 1st two ops, but did for the last one. Not a fun thing to do, to say the least, but if they find it (endo) attached to the bowel it makes their work 'easier' I guess.
Having someone to be with you for the first couple of days post-op is handy. You'll probably have some discomfort from the incisions (minimal) and may experience shoulder pain from the gas they use to expand your belly during surgery. My 1st one I had quite a bit of pain, but the last two not so much. Have a pillow handy for coughing, sneezing etc on your belly! Just a bit of comfort! Heat bags are awesome too!
Everyone comes out of general anaesthesia differently, so recovery from that can vary. Have someone around to cook for you & make you cups of tea. Even if your appetite isn't fabulous, you can better spend time resting than cooking!
Hope some of this is useful to you! I'm a newbie to forums :)
Good luck with your op when you do have it!

I had a laparoscopy with Lyndon in 2007 and he was great (he also did a very complete and relatively painless D&C in Nov last year after a missed miscarriage)...he is very much for using the right techniques to preserve uterus and ovary function, and for this reason prefers surgical to diathermy.....things like that. Lyndon has been my FS since December 2006 and has just got is pregnant despite all the odds so I just think he's the ants pants!!!

He will not treat you publically though, you will have to go through the freemasons for treament. I have to say the freemasons day surgery centre is just awesome, they see so many gyno and ob patitents in there with being attached to the IVF clinic that their nurse seem to have a special sense of compassion and stuff...never had a complaint in all the surgical procedures, egg retrievals etc from me.....

I had my laparoscopy done in Jan 2008 by Dr Ashton (who practices at LaTrobe Private, and in East Melbourne), and I can't fault his surgery skills. Highly experienced, he comes very recommended.

Having said that, some of his follow-up treatments are a little out-dated so if you go with him, don't be swayed by his push on medications!

ausgirl: I too had a 'good' private experience, as I was very nauseous post-op in the evening and probbly should have stayed overnight too. Absolutely no pressure to leave, and caring nursing staff on duty. :)

ausgirl,

which gyno did you go to to have your lap performed? I'm in Brisbane and so far have seen Dr. Barbara Hall.

Thanks!

Hi Delish-

I had my lap and my cyst taken off by Dr David Molloy at spring hill. If you google his name you will get his contact details.... He was great I also went though IVF with him

Another Good Gyno,OB and IVF Dr in Brisbane is Dr Ross Turner at The Wesley

Thanks Leemar,

I originally wanted to go with him after reading about him through his website. My gynae then referred me to Dr. Barbara Hall. Did you have to pay any out of pocket with Dr. Molloy?

Thank you for replying. I'm still thinking about whether I should have a lap performed as I'm afraid of needles and surgery. However, after trying for so long, I'm getting impatient :rolleyes:

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Hi all,

I'm 31 years old & about 7 moths ago I been diagnosed with a cyst on my left ovary & also with suspected endometriosis.

I'm booked for a laparoscopy and I wanted to ask whether any one had Dr Hale as her surgeon?

I know that Dr Hale has good reputation with IVF, but I wanted to know whether he is also a good surgeon?

Also, who else is consider to be good in Melbourne for that king of procedures (when endo needs to be removed)? (someone that I will not need to wait months for an appointment?!)

I don't have a private health insurance, but I decided to go through the private system because the waiting period in the public system is too long (already waited 7 months). My understanding is that a laparoscopy through the private system can cost anything between $3,000 & 4,000. Is that right?

I'm new to this forum, so any information about this will be appreciated.

ssn

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Hi ssn,

I've just had 2 laps in the past 4 weeks and I can highky reccommend Dr Emma Readman who specialises in Endo. She was fantastic and gave you the feeling of being very capable so aleviated a lot of stress. She is a private doctor in Victoria Pde Fitzroy 9works at St Vincents private and Freemasons). If you'd like any more details please let me know.
I have also heard a lot about Dr Hale (my sister in law used him over 10 years ago) and said he was amazing.

You will be fine after the lap - just think of it as a step closer to being pain free or starting a family. Stay positive. xx

Hello, i just had a lap done in Melbourne at a private hospital, by Dr.Luk Rombauts. I had to wait about 1.5 months for an appoint with him, and then wait about one month for surgery.

I liked him because he removed a cyst succesfully from my ovary, without the need for 2 separate operations. He also got endo from dificult places like rectum and ureters, which i dont think a general gyne could do. He also decided to leave some in there believing it was too risky to other organs to get it out, so he is wise in this way which made me feel safe. He said he has never damaged an organ yet. He is also an IVF specialist.

I had to pay the hospital 1000, assistant surgeon 350, anaesthetist 800, Luk 1100. But will get get a fair amount back on medicare.

Hi Guys

I am trying to decide if i should go privately or publicly for a laparoscopy.

I have no private health insurance so have to pay for it myself.

Apparently if i go as a private patient in a publc hospital i only have to wait a max of 30 days.(category 1 patient??)

However i may be starting a new job in feb so i thought it best to get it all out of the way, which would mean having surgery next week.

Can someone tell me what they paid when they went private patient /public hospital, i want to work out if the price difference is worth the extra wait or if i should just get it over and done with...

Also what were peoples expriences like public vs private.

I will be having the same surgeon either way (Dr Barabash) He treats at either Masada or Sandringham.

Thanks for your input

I went public in a public hospital and not once paid for a cent. Even my trips to the Gyno didn't cost anything. I have private health insurance but the Gyno told me to go public so I wont be charged. I waited 3weeks which I was very surprised about but they were keen to see me as I had cysts in my uterus so I had a lap and dye (for infertility) and a hysterscope to see the cysts. I think I was lucky with the waiting time though.